Kat Jade was a contestant on The Voice in 2014. What? You don't remember her? Well, you probably wouldn't unless you lived in Australia. Yes, 2014 was season three of Australia's The Voice. They had some cool judges. Kylie Minogue, will.i.am, Ricky Martin and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte. I wouldn't mind seeing them judge a season in this country (well, I don't really need to see Ricky Martin).

Anyway, Kat made it to the Live shows but didn't win. Of late, she's been pumping out Christmas videos on her Facebook page like M&Ms, but most aren't available for purchase or download in this country (yet). However, her original tune, "With You On Christmas Eve"is available as a free download on Soundcloud. So that's pretty cool, right?

"With You On Christmas Eve" is a sweet romantic ballad which Kat actually posted last year....on December 28. So she figured she's try it again this year...but actually on Christmas Eve. Kat says she wrote the song for her family and never intended on sharing it with anyone else, which is kinda sweet, if you think about it. Thankfully, someone must have convinced her to let us all have a listen. Head to Soundcloud for Kat Jade's"With You On Christmas Eve". It's a much shorter trip than going to Australia.

I honestly don't know a thing about music (oh...you knew that already), but I do know what I like. And this sweet little instrumental from the Japanese brother and sister Indie Dream Pop/Toy Pop duo Chelsea Terraceis something I like. It's a more or less Ambient piece, partially inspired by the filmThe Polar Expressand featuring strains of"Jingle Bells"and"Silent Night". And, if Google translate is to be trusted, it's part of an album the group is working on for next year--"The Electrical 7 Suite". And it's free via Soundcloud.

Now, as if that wasn't cool and Christmasy enough (or, for that matter, Japanese enough),Chelsea Terrace released a Christmas song last year, as well. "Goodbye Christmas"is a vocal tune that appeared on the group's"Telescope Future"CD (which is sold out, so don't bother looking for it). Some people are enchanted by the way French ladies sing (I get it; very sexy), but I love the sound of Christmas music sung by Japanese women. Don't know why, don't understand a word; it just strikes me as so delicate and beautiful. "Goodbye Christmas (Shooting Star Mix)" --with vocals and guitar byMayumi, I believe--is also a free download fromChelsea Terraceon Soundcloud.

You may or may not recall that one of the big releases last year was "The Wexford Carols". The Wexford Carols are considered some of the most beautiful music ever written. To give the songs the respect they were due, some great vocalists were assembled--Caitríona O’Leary, Rhiannon Giddens, Roseanne Cash and Sir Tom Jones. The album got great reviews and, come on, Tom Jones... But still I took a pass. Possibly in the hopes that people like myself would reconsider, a five song sample is now available free through Noisetrade. And it just might work (on me, at least). At the very least, I'll likely buy the other Tom Jones track (they only gave him two leads? What were they thinking?).

​Whether or not you want to reconsider, there's nothing like great vocalists singing beautiful Christmas music for free. No reason you shouldn't get you some "Wexford Carols" from Noisetrade.

Hey, we get to stick another pin in the Christmas travels map. Although Tumulto is originally from Italy, the DJ/musician and visual artist recorded this for the Greek Fytini label last year. Tumulto has done some work here and there and produced the records of other artists. He's now believed to be working on his debut album.

In the midst of recent economic turmoil in Greece, Fytini issued a 44 track long Christmas concept album last year, "XMAX". I have a few Greek Christmas records in my collection (mostly stuff that was done at one time or another in the Eurovision competitions, then released commercially)--good stuff. So I rushed to download the collection without previewing it first. Let me potentially save you some time. Unless you're into the farthest of the far out--recordings of coughs, sneezing and flushing toilets, and spoken word pieces delivered over the most discordant sounds, there's not much to be done with the bulk of "XMAX". The periodic narrations are actually quite interesting but there isn't as much music as you'd think on a 44 track album and not much of it makes me feel like Christmas. Buried in "XMAX", however, is Tumulto's cover of Joni Mitchell's "River" and that one should be welcome in any holiday collection. Tumulto's Electro Pop rendition retains all of Joni's intended sadness and beauty, and may even add a level or two more.

Tumulto's "River" is included in Fytini's "XMAX", which is free for the taking on Bandcamp. Grab the song (track 34) or the whole album (but preview first...just sayin').

We featured this song fromLegends of Countrylast year as the flip of the Christmas single,"It's A Long Way Back From A Dream". But then it wasn't free and now it is. Legends of Countryis the side project ofJof OwenofThe Boy Least Likely To. It's not quite Indie Pop and not quite Americana. Alt Country? Anyway,"From St. George To Snowflake"tells the tale of an all night drive from St. George Utah to Snowflake Arizona. Whether or not the sound qualifies as Americana, the subject matter certainly does. Nothing more American than small towns with evocative names. Nice tempo, nice lyrics on this one, though I preferred the A-side (which was actually a New Years tune). Grab the tune free at Bandcamp or Soundcloud.

Nothing different here--just two Christmas classics covered well by a British Rock band. But I don't just like different; I also enjoy a great Rock Christmas song or two done up great by a straight up Rock band. Did I say two? Yes, I did. In addition to"Merry Christmas Everyone",Versesalso covered"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"and both are available as free downloads from Soundcloud. Neither were recorded this year. "Merry Christmas Everyone"was originally released in 2013, I believe, and"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"was recorded and released last year. But both disappeared after Christmas in those years. So, for however long they last this go around, it might be a good idea to grab them. And, with any luck,Verseswill be back with a new tasty holiday pudding next year. Follow the band on Facebook.

A youngish CCM artist from the tiny town of Celeste Texas, Josh Wright is on his third year of annual Christmas songs. For 2015, Josh has wrapped up his 3 original holiday tunes, tied a bow around them, and placed them under the tree for free downloading via Noisetrade.

"Christmas Dream" is clearly the bouncy Pop song of the three and was released, originally, in 2014 (though the EP version is remastered). The new one for this year is "I'm Coming Home", which is fall down beautiful. The strings are marvelous and the song should put anyone in a warm and wonderful holiday mood. And you can listen to the song on a secular level or a spiritual one (It's basically a Prodigal Son tale). And the little bit of "O Holy Night" in there? Genius. Harry Chapin did use "O Holy Night" for his song "Mr. Tanner" (and that, too, was brilliant), but, when Josh sings that line on "I'm Coming Home", you can feel him actually dropping to his knees, laying everything bare.

The 2013 Christmas song from Josh was "Christmas Time Is Here" (not the Vince Guaraldi tune). I'm less enamored of that one, though Josh does have a way with melody and imagery that's undeniable.

I'm sure we'll be hearing more from Josh--and more from Josh at Christmas time. In the mean time, head on over to Noisetrade for his "Christmas Dream" EP.

Do you know how, sometimes, you're expecting something and the thing you get is so different from what you were expecting? And, unprepared, it knocks you completely on your ass? And, for a moment, you don't know whether you were really blown away or if it was just the surprise that did it? Alright, just pretend for a second that you understand the gibberish I'm spouting and listen to this.

Now if that didn't just knock you completely on your ass, then, just.....get outta here. Go on. Go.

You sort of have to appreciate that probably 90% of what's on Soundcloud is total crap. And the other 9.9999% is Indie Rock and Indie Pop that is, for the most part, good enough to make it worth your while (barely) to go through that other 90%.

Jeremy J. Kingis originally from Georgia. He grew up singing in the church choir. He was recruited by the Columbus Boy Choir and sang with them until he was 12. At that point, he figured he was ready to go solo. He's been recording since then....since the age of 12. Not necessarily releasing anything, but recording. If my math is right, he's 22, now.

​Jeremy just recently posted an entire EP of Christmas music,"King At Christmas", on Soundcloud. Now, he's still young and learning. So, yes, there are nits I can pik. He can get carried away with that thing Harry Schearer parodied recently, where he tries to fit more notes into a single syllable than he should. And, personally, I think the echo is higher than it should be. But, oh my God, go listen to"Who Would Imagine A King"again. That might be the most beautiful thing I've ever heard on Soundcloud (self produced, mind you).

Not every song on"King At Christmas"is in this vein. There's some contemporary Soul ("Christmas Around The World"), and a couple of nicely covered Pop Rock tunes ("Christmas Baby Please Come Home"and"Jingle Bell Rock"), and an Ambient Jazz spin on"Snowfall"that's nice and unique. The one track thatdoesn'twork is"The Christmas Song"; it needs to be thrown overboard ASAP. But you should download the rest. You absolutely should download"Who Would Imagine A King"rightnow.

At the moment, the tracks on Jeremy's"King At Christmas"are all, individually, available as free downloads on Soundcloud. That probably isn't going to last forever (about half of the tracks were included on a Christmas EP last year, which is currently $7 on Bandcamp). While they are free, though, you need to get them. And it would be nice, in return, if you would at least check out Jeremy's current Kickstarter campaign. Pledge if you want to, don't if you don't, but at least hear him out. Solid.

1. Christmas Around The World
2. Winter Wonderland
3. Jingle Bell Rock
4. I'll Be Home For Christmas
5. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
​6. The Christmas Song
7. Who Would Imagine A King
8. Snowfall

On the second day of Advent, my Joyzine gave to me...Wreckless Eric doing a profanity laced anti-war song.OK, so its not as catchy as the original "12 Days". And, because "Christmas On The M62" exceeds the Stubbys quotient for profanity, I won't share audio of it here, but, presumably, you're an adult...so I can point you in the right direction.Joyzineis another of the websites that do a calendar countdown to Christmas. And every day there's music, music, music. Not all of the musicJoyzine shares in their calendar is Christmas music and a few songs they share, if past years are any guide, won't even be downloadable. But there's usually plenty of Christmas music that you can download free and this song from Wreckless Eric is one such tune.Wreckless Eric is a bit of a Punk icon and I remember working my butt off, years ago, tracking down some other Christmas single of his. Ah, yes, "The Yuletide 45". I remember it well. Jeez, was that really 25 years ago?Wreckless Eric is still one-of-a-kind and I can't believe I completely missed this Christmas split from last year. The other side features Sterling Roswell's"It's A Rockin' Good Christmas"--which is also a treat that can't be beat. But "Christmas On The M62" fits one of my Christmas collecting sub-categories--anti-war Christmas records. As such, I'm completely embarrassed that I missed it last year and now thrilled to have it (in Wav) for free. Thanks Joyzine.And this one isn't the least bit subtle either. I think acerbic is the word. And, musically, it's also Pysch (Psych Punk, Psych Pop--you decide)--which is another sub-category I'm fond of.

There are a number of Christmas songs that have been done to the death--songs that were pretty annoying from the jump. "Blue Christmas"? To me, there can be no redemption for that song. The very best and most original arrangements of "Blue Christmas" are (to me), at most, tolerable.
But most of the otherwise overdone and annoying Christmas songs can be saved by a truly original approach. And one such song is "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". The Jimmy Boyd version, of course, sports some retro charm, I'll buy that. And, when I think of that song, my thoughts go immediately to John Mellencamp's version. Well here's another one to tuck in your rolodex.Citrus & Katie (that would be lead vocalist Katie Howard, I'm guessing) turn "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" into some funky Cosmic Jazz. And its really, really cool. The arrangement grabs you right from the beginning, while Katie's vocals entice you to take this ride all the way. And just when you figure you've lost the Jazz thread a bit, they change the song up on you and, oh, man, at that point, you're a goner for sure. Andre Flores deserves to be singled out for the nimble sax solo on the back end. But all them cats is playing it groovy. And then...they stick the landing with a bit of glockenspiel and the tone of a bell.
The band hails from San Diego and they're as smooth as an ocean breeze. It's a little bit Steely Dan, a little bit Jazz Crusaders, a little bit Parliament, a little bit Psych, a little bit Indie Pop, and a little bit vintage torch singer. You'll find all that and more, if you start unraveling the threads. Just can't understand why you'd do that, though, when--all together--it's such a beautiful tapestry. Citrus & Katie delivered "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" just before last Christmas and I'd advise you to not only grab this one from Bandcamp, but to linger awhile and check out their other stuff (especially the single "Be My Ride"/"Pop Song (Whisper To Me)"). Everything Citrus & Katie have at Bandcamp is available either Free or as a Name-Your-Price. Their music is also up on SoundCloud. Then you can stop by the band's Facebook page and say, "Hello. Where have you been all my life?" They, of course, will promptly notify the authorities and secure a restraining order. So, yeah, best keep it simple and just hit the "Like" button. That'll do.

The FREE List

Here we hope to direct you to some of the Christmas music on the web that can be yours absolutely free. We will not direct you to mp3 or sharity sites, here, but only to artist sites, label sites, and other authorized and unquestionably legal locations.